Tracking 3D Printing News the Emerging 3D Printing Revolution!

Toddler Emma Fitted With 3D Printed Magic Arms

Two-year-old Emma was born with a rare condition called arthrogryposis multiplex congenita. This disorder greatly limited her muscle movement in her arms. 3D printing technology provided a magic solution.

After researching the disease, Emma’s parents attended a medical conference where they learned about the Wilmington Robotic Exoskeleton (WREX). Emma was able to try out a version of the WREX at the hospital, but she was too small for the bulky metal arms.

In order to design a version for Emma that would both fit her and weigh significantly less, the researchers used the Stratays Dimension 3D printer to build pieces of the arms out of the same type of plastic that’s used in LEGOs. The pieces snap together and resistance bands are used to adjust the tension on the two arms.

One Response to Toddler Emma Fitted With 3D Printed Magic Arms

[…] He shared the story of Emma, a toddler who was fitted with 3D printed magic arms to address a rare condition she was born with called arthrogryposis multiplex congenita. 3D printing literally gave Emma a second chance at life. (Related: read our article about Emma’s story) […]